CINA

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Despite really heavy rain in S. Korea..

..yesterday at least 50,000 farmers, unionized workers, students... took (not only) the streets to protest against the planned ROK-US FTA.

Just in the morning following was reported:

"This morning, 41 unionized irregular workers occupied the roof of the building left beside Dong-A B/D near Gwanghwamun (Sejong-no/jong-no intersection) in central Seoul. They are demanding job protection, regular worker status, an end to the government crackdown on the labor movement, an immediate end to the FTA talks, securing of workers rights, and an end to the spread of neoliberalism. 100 protestors were blocking the front entrance of the building, preventing the police from entering to remove those on the roof. More are gathering right now to help defend those who have occupied the building..."

www.anarclan.net (english board)

Here you can see a video about the action:

http://www.nofta.or.kr/webbs/view.php?board=nofta_10&id=100

Another great picture about this action you can see here:

http://blog.jinbo.net/virus/?pid=106

Later in the early afternoon some 50,000 (VoP reported/Yonhap wrote in the afternoon 70,000) activists gathered in front of Seoul City Hall for a massive protest rally.

Later, when I understood it well (I'm still 9,000 KM west of S.K.), the masses wanted to march in the direction of the so-called Blue House, the residence of the president.

Of course they were blocked by large units of riot cops (according to govt. sources 28,000 troops were on the spot..). In several places around the Gwanghwamun area fierce clashes between unarmed protesters and the riot cops, using metal shields, clubs, fire extinguisher and water cannons, took place.

Finally in the evening hours, around 9 PM, the confrontations were concentrated in the near/in front of the US embassy.

For more reports/latest news please check out(VoP/민중의소리, here you also can watch 8 documentaries):

[현장중계 20신 최종 오후 9시 30분]
민중의 힘, "미대사관 앞을 열었다"

More Pics you can see here:

물대포와 방패를 뚫고

And of course for the latest news, pictures, videos.. please check out:

www.nofta.or.kr

(unfortunately there is NO english updating until now..)

About two hours ago the semi-official news agency Yonhap was reporting this:

Tens of thousands of anti-FTA activists rally in Seoul, despite heavy rain

Tens of thousands of South Korean activists and farmers braved torrential rains to stage anti-U.S. rallies Wednesday, denouncing their government's free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with Washington as a form of "U.S. economic colonialism."

About 60,000 anti-globalization protesters moved near Gwanghwamun street in central Seoul after holding a rally in front of Seoul City Hall on Wednesday afternoon, said officials at the Korean Alliance against Korea-U.S. FTA, an association of anti-FTA civic groups in South Korea. Police estimated the number of protesters at 28,000.

During the rally near the city hall, the protesters, clad in raincoats, chanted anti-American slogans such as "We oppose U.S. economic colonialism." They also held pickets which read, "The FTA is handing over our entire economy to the U.S." and "The economic invasion. War threats. The U.S. is an axis of evil."

After moving to areas near Gwanghwamun street, the demonstrators tried to form a human chain around the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae, but more than 20,000 riot police prevented them from doing so. The police blocked areas surrounding the presidential office and the U.S. Embassy in Gwanghwamun and clashed with some of the protesters, but no casualties have been reported so far, police officers said.

South Korean farmers, laborers and activists have conducted anti-FTA demonstrations since Monday, when South Korea and the U.S. opened their second round of FTA talks in Seoul with the aim of signing a deal by early next year. The protesters say the FTA would threaten their livelihood.

The violent street rallies even forced the South Korean government to cancel its interim briefing on the five-day FTA talks with the U.S., which was scheduled to take place at the Government Complex Building in downtown Seoul. The briefing was rescheduled for Thursday morning.

The afternoon rally snarled traffic in central Seoul and congestion was heightened as heavy rain battered the Seoul metropolitan area during the evening rush hours. Major streets were jammed in central Seoul, with cars moving at speeds below 10 kilometers per hour. Major subway stations were crammed as people attempted to head home.

Seoul received nearly 200 millimeters of rain as of 3 p.m. and weather officials forecast the downpour would continue until Thursday morning.

In a related development, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, a major umbrella trade union, implemented a six-hour strike Wednesday to protest the ongoing trade liberalization talks.

The labor union claimed 170,000 union members participated in the walkout but police put the number at 74,000...

http://english.yna.co.kr/Engnews/20060712/640000000020060712220158E3.html
   
 

A contract worker is being stopped by riot police in the attempt to occupy the Ilmin Museum of Art during a rally against a Korea-U.S. free trade agreement in Gwanghwamun, Seoul on Wednesday. Protestors also demanded regular employment for casual workers.

(the complete reactionary daily Chosun Ilbo)

Korea Herald(also a kind of reactionary)  is writing today following:

Activists stage wet anti-FTA protests 

(as you can see/read the bourgeois media don't take the protest seriously, not really..)